It was a ‘super catch’ that put an end to the game.
The Texas Rangers won 2-0 in the first game of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Houston Astros held at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, on the 16th (Korean time). Starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery was the winning pitcher, pitching 6 1/3 innings, allowing 5 hits and no runs. They took the lead with Jonah Haim’s timely hit with one out and runners on second base in the top of the second inning, and then scored with Leody Taveras’ solo home run in the top of the fifth inning.
Texas’ two-hitting structure stood out, but the defense was also formidable. In particular, rookie outfielder Evan Carter’s ‘super catch’ in the bottom of the 8th inning was impressive. Houston’s leadoff hitter Jose Altuve reached base with a walk, increasing the probability of victory to 23.4%. Since a single home run would tie the score, the probability of victory also fluctuated. The next batter was Alex Bragman. Bregman is Houston’s leading hitter with 165 home runs in his big league career.메이저사이트
Bregman pulled the 4th pitch slider from replaced pitcher Aroldis Chapman and flew it toward left field. The distance of the batted ball, which flew at a launch angle of 35 degrees and a speed of 103.2 miles (166 km/h), was measured at 365 feet (111.3 m). Carter, who chased the batted ball to the end, jumped in front of the fence and increased the count. Altuve, the runner on first base who judged it to be a hit, hurriedly returned to base, but it was confirmed that he had not stepped on second base during this process, so one more out was added. Houston’s probability of winning plummeted to 8.5%.
MLB.com, the official website of the Major League Baseball (MLB), said, ‘If the 365-foot hit expected by Statcast had had a little more power, Houston’s probability of winning would have reached 62%. If it was a double, it is highly likely that Altuve would have scored and the runner would have entered second base with no outs.’ Chapman heaped praise on the double play, saying, “That double play was great. It was the play that decided the game,” and “The game actually ended there.” Texas, which maintained a two-point lead thanks to Carter’s defense, will play the second game of the series on the 17th. Texas’ starting pitcher is Nathan Evaldi, and Houston’s is Framber Valdez.